Army Special Rules
Murderous Prowess- A nasty little rule that allows you to reroll wound rolls of 1. Quite nasty with units that will likely be wounding on a 2+ (Executioners, Cold One Knights).Always Strikes First- Everyone's favorite special rule! This combined with the high iniative of dark elves means that your troops will hit a lot, if not all but one or two, of their attacks. Applies to almost every unit in the army.
Hekarti's Blessing- Your wizards have +1 to cast dark magic. A nice little bonus if you want dark magic in your list.
Eternal Hatred- Hatred for every round of combat, what's not to like. Not army wide like the previous rules.
Hatred (High Elves)- Because we hate high elves so fuck them and their rerolls to hit, but we'll keep ours.
Core
Dreadspears- Not a bad core choice as they are tied for our cheapest unit. Standard 5+AS spear wielding, first striking, strength 3 elves who really want an okkam's mindrazor cast upon them. I usually field a large 40 man unit of them for a steadfast block in the center of my army. I bring a level 4 shadow when I do this so that if the enemy charges them and becomes tarpitted, I can cast okkam's or the withering into the combat to utterly destroy the enemy. Without magical buffs or army tactics built around this unit I believe that they are over costed. The easy part with elves is hitting, the hard part is wounding and denying armor saves. They also work well for using the sacrificial dagger on.
Verdict: Without offensive buffs, this unit will not earn it's points back. 5.5/10
Bleakswords- Dreadspears without a spear, but instead a hand weapon. Same price as Dreadspears. Could make a better tarpit than spears, but canot produce as much damage as the spearmen, especially when buffed by magic.
Verdict: Worse than spearmen in every way except tarpitting, but when you are T3 with 5+AS and 6+ parry, you won't be tarpitting very long, especially at this price. 4/10
Darkshards- The go to ranged unit of the dark elves, and they're a decent one. 2 BS4 S3 armor piercing shots per person with 24" range at the cost of 6 skaven slaves. For icing on the cake, they can take a magic standard of up to 25 points. Hello banner of eternal flame, goodbye chimera. I take a unit of 19 with flaming banner and a wizard to sit in the backfield and shoot all game. Do note that moving and shooting at long range with these guys will see you hitting on 6s. I would always take a unit of these guys for flank protection or for killing monsters. These guys are also one of my favorite units in the game that can put the hurt on T3 or T4 units. Outright murder bloodletters and the likes but aren't too great against heavy cavalry. Also suggest that if you take a flaming unit of these that you bring a bolt thrower or two to finish regenerating monsters off.
Verdict: A solid shooting unit that is costed appropriately for its ability. Though the shots are only S3. 7.5/10
Corsairs- Another S3 infantry unit for 2 more points than a normal warrior because you have to give them repeater handbows or additional hand weapons. What sets them apart from the others is that they have the sea dragon cloak (5+ scaly skin)
with their light armor for a combined armor save of 4+. This is the highest armor save in the book for these T3 bastards (other than characters). This 4+ armor save and 2 attacks with additional hand weapons makes them a good core choice that many people prefer over the others. One buff away from murdering hordes of enemy core troops. Though some might say 5.5 slaves cost is too much for a two attack S3 model. But in dark elves, the armor and the real life cost of this unit makes it worth it.
Verdict: A good unit that can be used for steadfast blocks or better in my opinion a 5x4 flank support block. 7.5/10
Dark Riders- Holy shit are these guys good. They can have a 4+ AS with repeating crossbow while riding a M9 horse. Once kitted out they cost the same as Knight Errant or 10 skaven slaves and are fast cavalry. Survivable fast cavalry with all the dark elf goodness with a kickass armor save and enough movement to do circles around dwarves. Oh and L8 they are unlikely to be panicked from enemy shooting. On top of that, characters can join this unit with the dark steed mount and not hinder it's performance at all. Turn 1 bomb a dreadlord into the enemy general's face and kick his ass with your elven goodness. Also dark riders will kill chaff that usually fucks over your frenzied witch elves with ease.
Verdict: Outstanding fast cavalry that no army above 1500 points should go to battle without two units of 5. 9.5/10.
Witch Elves- Was Mat Ward high as hell when he made these blender bitches be able to take a 50 point magic banner as core? I think so, 3 attacks a piece with poison. Oh and they are I6 for laughs. Give these blender bitches a death hag on cauldron with the witchbrew for 4 attacks each...and a 5+ ward save! Give them the razor standard and watch them obliterate T3 and T4 enemies. They are frenzied, but who cares when you got dark riders slaying the enemy chaff. Ever see someone rage? Cast Okkam's on this unit against chaos warriors.
Verdict: Amazing core blenders that form crazy rapestars. Just don't put non witch elf characters in this unit. 9.5/10
Cold One Chariot- Hey look another shitty elven chari....OH MY GOD! Forget about high elf chariots right now. These beast sports two cold one knights with spears and repeater crossbows riding a S5 T5 3+AS chariot with 4 wounds and Ld9. The survivability of this is enough reason to take it. On top of this, it is pulled by two cold ones that get two S4 attacks a piece. It also causes fear and has stupidity which
I think will rarely hinder it. This thing will mulch high elves with d6+1 impact hits at S5 with 4 S4 cold one attacks and 2 S5 knight attacks. Don't forget your repeating crossbows! Send two of these down a flank and watch as arrows bounce off and you crush the archers' skulls with your rims.
Verdict: A tough chariot that mimis the core chaos chariot very well but will struggle to keep up with the rest of your M5 elves .
8/10
Reaper Bolt Thrower- Exactly the same as the high elf bolt thrower. Except ours is special. As our only war machine, it will not not dissapoint. You can fire one regular ass S6 no armor saves allowed bolt, or 6 smaller S4 AP bolts with a 48" range. Use the big bolt against high armor save units and the 6 small bolts for anti infantry. 3+AS infantry will get a 5+ from them. Also look at the toughness values before firing. 3+AS dwarves with T4 will take 1 wound at long range from the 6 shots, but will take nearly guranteed, more than 1 wound by the big bolt...if it hits. The reaper bolt thrower is essential to take down the high armor save units so that your S3 elves can fight low armor units. The RBT can be used to force the enemy to come to you with 4 of them being allowed at <3k points. Be wary of shooting units because you only have 2 wounds, and a 6 to wound is a wound.
Verdict: Include at least one in your army for support. Pick off heavily armored units first and then pick off weak support units.
7.5/10
Harpies- The flying chaff of dark elves that has 2 S3 attacks and the fly rule on Ld 6. They cost points less than a knight errant. I feel that their role on the battlefield is done much better by dark riders who are core and 1 less movement and are hindered by shit on the ground. These winged bitches are too expensive for their role that dark riders do much much better. The beastmen version it's much much better by being 2 skaven slaves cheaper and can purchase the scout rule for 3ppm.
Verdict: This unit is simply out qualified for the task it must perform. It is also not a flexible unit able to fill on several roles in a pinch like the dark riders can. This unit has one role. Chaff. And it is done better elsewhere in the army book. Skub in it's finest.
1/10
Scourgerunner Chariot- Skub. Pure skub. It's a chariot with a 5+AS and T4 being drawn by two dark steeds. It's M9 and it's bolt throwerare what makes it stand out. Oh its also 17.5 skaven slaves more expensive than the great cold one chariot. The RBT has 48" range making this thing's M9 24" ravaged bolt thrower nearly useless. It has a ghetto rule that if you wound a monster, it gets dragged d6" towards the firer. Oh and it's also S7 but whoop de fuckin doo. It's job is done better elsewhere via CoC and RBT.
Verdict: Skub. 1/10
War Hydra- A big gribblie in our special section who was previously the most hated monster along with the hellpit abomination.
Coming in wit 3+how many wounds remain on him for attacks at WS5 and S5 at purple fun level initiative of 2. It is pretty survivable against RnF with T5 and 5 wounds with 4+AS and a ghetto ass regen. If it didn't get one shot by a cannon or killed in one combat phase, you may roll a d6 for each wound missing on it. Each result of a 4+ a wound is healed on the hydra. Great for raping S3 shit. Take the flame breath upgrade and the spit fire upgrade if Throgg and his core chaos trolls are getting you down. Spit fire is a janky shooting attack that has an 8" range and has a number of shots and strength equal to its remaining wounds. This could potentially be devastating against regenerating units since it's flaming.
Verdict: A nasty monster that can survive quite a while and really shaft regenerating units over. It helps that he is relatively cheap too. 8/10
Verdict: Without offensive buffs, this unit will not earn it's points back. 5.5/10
Bleakswords- Dreadspears without a spear, but instead a hand weapon. Same price as Dreadspears. Could make a better tarpit than spears, but canot produce as much damage as the spearmen, especially when buffed by magic.
Verdict: Worse than spearmen in every way except tarpitting, but when you are T3 with 5+AS and 6+ parry, you won't be tarpitting very long, especially at this price. 4/10
Darkshards- The go to ranged unit of the dark elves, and they're a decent one. 2 BS4 S3 armor piercing shots per person with 24" range at the cost of 6 skaven slaves. For icing on the cake, they can take a magic standard of up to 25 points. Hello banner of eternal flame, goodbye chimera. I take a unit of 19 with flaming banner and a wizard to sit in the backfield and shoot all game. Do note that moving and shooting at long range with these guys will see you hitting on 6s. I would always take a unit of these guys for flank protection or for killing monsters. These guys are also one of my favorite units in the game that can put the hurt on T3 or T4 units. Outright murder bloodletters and the likes but aren't too great against heavy cavalry. Also suggest that if you take a flaming unit of these that you bring a bolt thrower or two to finish regenerating monsters off.
Verdict: A solid shooting unit that is costed appropriately for its ability. Though the shots are only S3. 7.5/10
Corsairs- Another S3 infantry unit for 2 more points than a normal warrior because you have to give them repeater handbows or additional hand weapons. What sets them apart from the others is that they have the sea dragon cloak (5+ scaly skin)
with their light armor for a combined armor save of 4+. This is the highest armor save in the book for these T3 bastards (other than characters). This 4+ armor save and 2 attacks with additional hand weapons makes them a good core choice that many people prefer over the others. One buff away from murdering hordes of enemy core troops. Though some might say 5.5 slaves cost is too much for a two attack S3 model. But in dark elves, the armor and the real life cost of this unit makes it worth it.
Verdict: A good unit that can be used for steadfast blocks or better in my opinion a 5x4 flank support block. 7.5/10
Dark Riders- Holy shit are these guys good. They can have a 4+ AS with repeating crossbow while riding a M9 horse. Once kitted out they cost the same as Knight Errant or 10 skaven slaves and are fast cavalry. Survivable fast cavalry with all the dark elf goodness with a kickass armor save and enough movement to do circles around dwarves. Oh and L8 they are unlikely to be panicked from enemy shooting. On top of that, characters can join this unit with the dark steed mount and not hinder it's performance at all. Turn 1 bomb a dreadlord into the enemy general's face and kick his ass with your elven goodness. Also dark riders will kill chaff that usually fucks over your frenzied witch elves with ease.
Verdict: Outstanding fast cavalry that no army above 1500 points should go to battle without two units of 5. 9.5/10.
Witch Elves- Was Mat Ward high as hell when he made these blender bitches be able to take a 50 point magic banner as core? I think so, 3 attacks a piece with poison. Oh and they are I6 for laughs. Give these blender bitches a death hag on cauldron with the witchbrew for 4 attacks each...and a 5+ ward save! Give them the razor standard and watch them obliterate T3 and T4 enemies. They are frenzied, but who cares when you got dark riders slaying the enemy chaff. Ever see someone rage? Cast Okkam's on this unit against chaos warriors.
Verdict: Amazing core blenders that form crazy rapestars. Just don't put non witch elf characters in this unit. 9.5/10
Special
Cold One Knights- 15 skaven slaves for one of the best cavalry units in the game that isn't from Bretonnia. They got the works of a good heavy cavalry unit but being on the slightly squishy side. WS5 with ASF and I6 will ensure that you get rerolls to hit while S6 ensures that you are wounding on 2s...rerolling 1s. They cause fear that might make a goblin unit piss their pants a little (actually goblins are already pissing their pants because they fear elves). The cold one itself is amazing, but slow. The thing is M7 and has stupidity. I always try to give them a banner of swiftness to make them M8 so they aren't getting charged by ogres and monstrous cavalry. A flaming banner works well for monster hunting. Did I mention that the cold one gets 2 S4 attacks? This unit can grind down S3 infantry over time. I wouldn't risk it against S4. Never take this unit deep with ranks because the amount of S4 cold one attacks you lose is saddening.
Verdict: An amazing cavalry unit that really puts out the pain on the charge and because of the cold ones can do damage off the charge. Never forget stupidity. It has shafted me a couple of times even though they are Ld9. Don't forget fear either because you might get the advantage on a unit of chaos warriors. 8/10
Black Guard of Naggarond- I personally like this unit if you shake the thought of their former selves. This unit costs half of a cold one knight with a 5+AS with T3. They die really easy. But, they have 2 S4 attacks at WS5 that always reroll failed hit rolls via eternal hatred. They are also stubborn and ItP on Ld9. I like to field this unit in a 5x5 or pushing the cauldron of blood. The 5x5 is a reliable block that I know for a fact that they are not breaking or fleeing. This is an extremely reliable unit, they're even reliable enough to get shot to pieces by peasant bowmen or a trebuchet killing 20 of them. Throw this unit against S3 goblins and chop away while losing too many of your men. This unit is slightly over-costed, but are heavily reliable. I also think that spearmen do their job better by being cheaper and getting steadfast.
Verdict: A reliable unit to hold an area but are too easily killed for their points value. I also think that if you use the cauldron with them (and the razor standard) that they can be quite a reliable nasty unit that you should never worry about losing combat to the likes of skullcrushers and other 1+AS units where with witch elves you would have S3 AP poisonous attacks that 1+AS units would shrug off. 5/10
Shades- One of warhammer's best warmachine hunters right here. 9 skaven slaves after you give them the mandatory great weapons. They are scouts that have all the dark elf goodness with the option for great weapons. Who doesn't like striking at I5 with great weapons against helpless dwarf crewmen? Just be very careful where you decide to deploy them because they are 2 points less than a knight errant with NO armor save or ward save. If you deploy badly with them, they will be blasted off of the table by shooting. This hybrid unit is also your elite archers by being skirmishers with BS5 repeating crossbows! Stuff will die by these accurate bolts without a doubt. Having these guys in your opponent's backfield will ruin his day as he diverts effort into killing these guys while leaving his main line weakened.
Verdict: A strong skirmishing scout unit that will kick warmachine crews' asses and put the hurt down at long range. Your opponent's will underestimate this unit and be utterly raped by them. Or they'll just shoot them off of the table. Every list should have a unit of these just as every bretonnian list features pegasus knights.
8.5/10
Har Ganeth Executioners- Your can-opener unit with 1A coming in with S6 with WS5 at I5 with killing blow... for just 6 skaven slaves. They are T3 with that horrible imperial guard cardboard 5+ armor. These guys will get shot to hell and back like black guard, but are not ItP and may panic, but ar Ld 9 so they probably won't. I would always take one steadfast block of these guys in every game to counter monstrous cavalry and heavy cavalry or heavy infantry. Just beware that after they strike at I5 (no rerolls to hit), they will take a beating. They will also make all of their to wound rolls by being S6 with Murderous Prowess. Try to avoid shooting the best you can as it will decimate their numbers quite quickly.
Verdict: A unit much needed within the Dark Elf army. Without them, the army is just a bunch of low strength attacks. I recommend always taking a unit of these.
9/10
Verdict: A strong skirmishing scout unit that will kick warmachine crews' asses and put the hurt down at long range. Your opponent's will underestimate this unit and be utterly raped by them. Or they'll just shoot them off of the table. Every list should have a unit of these just as every bretonnian list features pegasus knights.
8.5/10
Har Ganeth Executioners- Your can-opener unit with 1A coming in with S6 with WS5 at I5 with killing blow... for just 6 skaven slaves. They are T3 with that horrible imperial guard cardboard 5+ armor. These guys will get shot to hell and back like black guard, but are not ItP and may panic, but ar Ld 9 so they probably won't. I would always take one steadfast block of these guys in every game to counter monstrous cavalry and heavy cavalry or heavy infantry. Just beware that after they strike at I5 (no rerolls to hit), they will take a beating. They will also make all of their to wound rolls by being S6 with Murderous Prowess. Try to avoid shooting the best you can as it will decimate their numbers quite quickly.
Verdict: A unit much needed within the Dark Elf army. Without them, the army is just a bunch of low strength attacks. I recommend always taking a unit of these.
9/10
Cold One Chariot- Hey look another shitty elven chari....OH MY GOD! Forget about high elf chariots right now. These beast sports two cold one knights with spears and repeater crossbows riding a S5 T5 3+AS chariot with 4 wounds and Ld9. The survivability of this is enough reason to take it. On top of this, it is pulled by two cold ones that get two S4 attacks a piece. It also causes fear and has stupidity which
I think will rarely hinder it. This thing will mulch high elves with d6+1 impact hits at S5 with 4 S4 cold one attacks and 2 S5 knight attacks. Don't forget your repeating crossbows! Send two of these down a flank and watch as arrows bounce off and you crush the archers' skulls with your rims.
Verdict: A tough chariot that mimis the core chaos chariot very well but will struggle to keep up with the rest of your M5 elves .
8/10
Reaper Bolt Thrower- Exactly the same as the high elf bolt thrower. Except ours is special. As our only war machine, it will not not dissapoint. You can fire one regular ass S6 no armor saves allowed bolt, or 6 smaller S4 AP bolts with a 48" range. Use the big bolt against high armor save units and the 6 small bolts for anti infantry. 3+AS infantry will get a 5+ from them. Also look at the toughness values before firing. 3+AS dwarves with T4 will take 1 wound at long range from the 6 shots, but will take nearly guranteed, more than 1 wound by the big bolt...if it hits. The reaper bolt thrower is essential to take down the high armor save units so that your S3 elves can fight low armor units. The RBT can be used to force the enemy to come to you with 4 of them being allowed at <3k points. Be wary of shooting units because you only have 2 wounds, and a 6 to wound is a wound.
Verdict: Include at least one in your army for support. Pick off heavily armored units first and then pick off weak support units.
7.5/10
Harpies- The flying chaff of dark elves that has 2 S3 attacks and the fly rule on Ld 6. They cost points less than a knight errant. I feel that their role on the battlefield is done much better by dark riders who are core and 1 less movement and are hindered by shit on the ground. These winged bitches are too expensive for their role that dark riders do much much better. The beastmen version it's much much better by being 2 skaven slaves cheaper and can purchase the scout rule for 3ppm.
Verdict: This unit is simply out qualified for the task it must perform. It is also not a flexible unit able to fill on several roles in a pinch like the dark riders can. This unit has one role. Chaff. And it is done better elsewhere in the army book. Skub in it's finest.
1/10
Scourgerunner Chariot- Skub. Pure skub. It's a chariot with a 5+AS and T4 being drawn by two dark steeds. It's M9 and it's bolt throwerare what makes it stand out. Oh its also 17.5 skaven slaves more expensive than the great cold one chariot. The RBT has 48" range making this thing's M9 24" ravaged bolt thrower nearly useless. It has a ghetto rule that if you wound a monster, it gets dragged d6" towards the firer. Oh and it's also S7 but whoop de fuckin doo. It's job is done better elsewhere via CoC and RBT.
Verdict: Skub. 1/10
War Hydra- A big gribblie in our special section who was previously the most hated monster along with the hellpit abomination.
Coming in wit 3+how many wounds remain on him for attacks at WS5 and S5 at purple fun level initiative of 2. It is pretty survivable against RnF with T5 and 5 wounds with 4+AS and a ghetto ass regen. If it didn't get one shot by a cannon or killed in one combat phase, you may roll a d6 for each wound missing on it. Each result of a 4+ a wound is healed on the hydra. Great for raping S3 shit. Take the flame breath upgrade and the spit fire upgrade if Throgg and his core chaos trolls are getting you down. Spit fire is a janky shooting attack that has an 8" range and has a number of shots and strength equal to its remaining wounds. This could potentially be devastating against regenerating units since it's flaming.
Verdict: A nasty monster that can survive quite a while and really shaft regenerating units over. It helps that he is relatively cheap too. 8/10
No comments:
Post a Comment